Question

Dependents

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
March 15, 2021
1 reply
0 views

Why does Turbotax ask if you can be claimed as dependent by someone else - and if that person will claim you as a dependent? Does this mean that a parent has the choice of whether or not to claim a child as a dependent? If the answer to that question is yes - that a parent does not need to claim a child as a dependent - then what are the tax consequences for the child? Would this change the deductions that could apply to the child's tax return?

X

xmasbaby0

Employee

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/dependents/help/when-do-i-have-to-answer-yes-to-being-claimed-as-a-dependent/00/1994319

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

H

hlandesbergAuthor

Thank you for the link, but it doesn't really answer my questions.

Is a parent required to claim a dependent on their return if the child meets the criteria for being a dependent? Why does Turbotax ask both "can someone claim you" and "will they claim you?"

If a parent is not required to claim a dependent and if the child would answer "yes a parent could claim me as a dependent" but "no, they will not claim me as a dependent" - what is the impact on the child's tax return?

macuser_22

Employee

Nothing requires a parent to claim a dependent, but if they CAN claim the dependent then the person cannot claim them-self - tax law does not allow that. That is why there are two questions "CAN you be claimed by another tax payer?, and WERE you claimed?

Yes to the first means you cannot claim yourself, no to the second might allow you to claim certain educational credits that usually only the person claiming you could claim.

**Disclaimer: This post is for discussion purposes only and is NOT tax advice. The author takes no responsibility for the accuracy of any information in this post.**